1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a positioning device for connecting a heatsink to a chip set.
2. The Prior Arts
Chip set used on computer generates a lot of heat which should be removed from the chip set to keep the optimal operation of the chip set. A conventional heatsink is connected to the chip set and cooperated with a fan so as to remove the heat from the chip set.
One of the method for connecting the heatsink to the chip set is to clip the heatsink to the socket of the chip set. However, the metallic clip includes complicated structure and tends to reach its fatigue limit quickly. Besides, the chip set can be damaged during processes of installing the clip and the clip might be disengaged from the socket during transportation. Furthermore, if the chip set is directly soldered to the circuit, there will be no place for the clip to position the heatsink.
Generally, there is a gap about 0.25 mm between the chip set and the circuit board and which is so narrow that no one thinks about to use the gap for the heatsink. Some assemblers use heat dispensing tapes to connect the heatsink with the circuit board or directly connect the heatsink to the circuit board by screws. The tapes are easily dry and removed from the surface of the chip set and the screws require holes drilled in the circuit board. There is limited area on the circuit board so that holes cannot be drilled in the desired positions. Therefore, most of the manufacturers for making the circuit boards do not drill holes in the circuit boards.
Some manufacturers develop a positioning device that includes a through hole at the center and four side plates extend from four sides of the device. Each side plate includes a hook on an inside thereof. When the heatsink extends through the through hole from the underside of the device, the hooks are hooked to two sides of the chip set, and the heatsink is securely positioned on the chip set.
However, during installation, the hooks might not hook to the sides of the chip set and the heatsink may not have straight or smooth bottom so that the heatsink does not contact the chip set properly. Therefore, heat from the chip set cannot conduct to the heatsink as desired. There are only two side plates hook to two sides of the chip set and the other two side plates are engaged with two slots defined in the heatsink so as to well position the device to the heatsink. However, the slots reduce the area for removing heat from the chip set.
FIG. 9 shows another conventional positioning device for the heatsink and includes a rectangular frame 11 and two side plates 11 extend from two opposite sides of the frame 11, and each side plate 11 has two hooks 111 on an inside thereof. Two positioning rods extend from the other two opposite sides of the frame 11. A plurality of flexible rods extend from the insides of the frame 11 and each flexible rod has a protrusion on a bottom of a distal end thereof. A plurality of fins of the heatsink extends through the through hole in the center of the frame 11 and hooks on the two side plates hook two sides of the chip set. The positioning rods insert through holes defined through the heatsink, and the protrusions on the flexible rods are rested on the heatsink.
There are four hooks on the two side plates and some of the hooks might not actually hook the chip set, and the hooks that are not actually hook the chip set may interfere with the electronic components on the circuit board.